Bowling ball

ABSTRACT

A bowling ball is adapted for a selective bowler by producing a specially designed aperture in the ball for the selective bowler&#39;&#39;s thumb. The aperture is obtained by boring a recess to a depth according to the length of the thumb of the selective bowler and by forming an inwardly tapered first chamber at the inner portion of the recess. A generally cylindrical second chamber also formed in the recess communicates with the first chamber and terminates at the surface of the bowling ball. The diameter of the second chamber substantially corresponds to the maximum diameter of the selective bowler&#39;&#39;s thumb. The length of the first chamber is such as to accommodate the end portion of the bowler&#39;&#39;s thumb.

United States Patent [191 Linden Nov. 27, 1973 BOWLING BALL Primary Examiner-George J. Marlo [76] Inventor: Charles F. Linden, 24488 Lorain Attorney-woodlmg, Krost Granger & Rust Rd., North Olmsted, Ohio 44070 [57] ABSTRACT 22 F 'l d: 3 1971 1 A bowling ball is adapted for a selective bowler by PP 149,588 producing a specially designed aperture in the ball for the selective bowlers thumb. The aperture is obtained 52 US. Cl 273/63 A by bttttg a recess t0 a depth accmding t0 the length 51 im. Cl A63b 37/00 the thumb of the Selective bowler and by forming 581 Field of Search 273/63 64 128 an tnwatdly tapered fi chamber at the inner Portion of the recess. A generally cylindrical second chamber [56] References cited also formed in the recess communicates with the first chamber and terminates at the surface of the bowling UNITED STA TES PATENTS ball. The diameter of the second chamber substanf i tially corresponds to the maximum diameter of the sear y lective bowlers thumb. The length of the first cham- 2,7l2,l60 7/1955 Sterczek 273/63 A X her is Such as to accommodate the end portion of the bowlers thumb.

I 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED H0! 2 7 I975 SHEET 10F 2 INVENTOR. CHARLES E LINDEN BY 6) [wh 9130* ff ."AIFNTEHHUW? m3 SHEEI 2 OF 2 m m MUM mm 0.. & B06 6 /a BOWLING BALL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a bowling ball having a specially designed aperture. More particularly, the present invention relates to. a bowling ball with a specially designed aperture which is particularly adapted to receive a bowlers thumb.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART The prior art is replete with descriptions of various devices which are theoretically designed to assist a bowler in holdingor gripping a bowling ball. Conventionally, these devices are usually in the form of inserts which are to be placed into the thumb hole of a bowling ball so. as to provide the bowler with what is generally referred to as a comfortable fit. When this comfortable fit is achieved, a bowler is able to develop and maintain unifonn control over the bowling ball and thereby increase his proficiency in the sport.

Such devices, although they do provide the bowler with certain limited benefits, are generally not free from inherent defects. For example, they often lose their intended shape due to use or become separated from their point of placement in the thumb or finger hole or holes of a bowling ball. The result is that they are of little, if any, benefit to a bowler and in fact often have an adverse effect on the users bowling skills.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a bowling ball which has a specially designed aperture particularly adapted to receive a thumb of a bowler.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a bowling ball with an aperture as above, such that the shape of the aperture is retained even after extended use.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bowling ball with an insert which has a specially designed aperture particularly adapted to receive the thumb of a bowler.

It is a still furtherobject of the present invention to provide a bowling ball with an aperture which substantially corresponds to the diametericprofile of the thumb of a selective bowler.

These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by the means herein described and claimed. I

In general, a bowling ball has a specially designed aperture particularly adapted to receive the thumb of a bowler. The aperture is'formed by a recess which extends a depth in a bowling ball according to the length of a bowlers thumb. Aninwardly tapered first chamber is formed in the inner portion of the recess and a cylindrical second chamber is also formed which communicates with the first chamber and terminates at the surface of the bowling ball. The diameter of the second chamber substantially corresponds to the maximum diameter of a bowlers thumb.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a bowling ball of the present invention, showing an aperture therein broken away and in cross-section which aperture is adapted to receive the thumb of a bowler; v v

FIG. 2 is a top view taken on line 22- of FIG. 1 showing the aperture and finger holes;

LII

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS A bowling ball according to the preferred embodi ment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 and is designated by the numeral 10. The ball, of course, is fashioned from a suitable material which necessarily must be tough and durable. An aperture generally indicated by the numeral 12 is provided in the bowling ball. Since the surfaces of the aperture consist of the bowling ball material, the shape of the aperture will be retained over a long period of time. The aperture has a depth 13 which corresponds substantially to the length of abowlers thumb and also has a chamber generally indicated by the numeral 14 at its inner or bottom portion. The first or inner chamber 14 is inwardly tapered in that the chambers diameter generally increases at various points along the length of the aperture as the surface of the ball is approached. A specific configuration of inner chamber 14 is shown in FIG. 1 as containing a series of communicating cylindrical shaped sur faces 16, 18, 20 and 22 with each succeeding outwardly located cylindrical surface having a diameter greater than the diameter of each preceding inwardly located cylindrical surface. Edges 17, 19, 21 and 23 of cylindrical surfaces 16, '18, 20 and 22, respectively, may be sanded or otherwise made smooth as shown in FIG. 4 so that a bowlers thumb is not abrated or scratched when the bowler releases the ball.

As seen in FIG. 1, the aperture also has a generally cylindrical second or outer chamber generally indicated by the numeral 24 which communicates with inner chamber 14 and terminates at the surface of bowling ball 10. The outer chamber 24 generally has a diameter which substantially corresponds to the maximum diameter of a bowlers thumb in that it normally is slightly larger to-permit facile release of the ball. However, it is not unusual to have the diameter of the second chamber equal to the diameter of a particular thumb as many bowlers desire a tight or snug fit.

FIG. 3 illustrates the diametric profile of a bowlers thumb. The length or the portion of the thumb which is generally "received by a bowling ball is generally indicated by numeral 26 and the various diameters which generally increase in size as they approach a bowlers hand are identified by the numerals 28, 30, 32, 34 and 36, respectively.

When adapting a bowling ball to a selective thumb, for example as shown in FIG. 3, a recess is bored in the ball according to the length 26 of a particular thumb. The inner chamber is then formed as by boring and counterboring the inner end of the recess so that the diameters of communicating cylindrical shaped surfaces 16, 18, 20 and 22 substantially correspond to the mum diameter of a selective thumb. The outer chamber is then formed as by counterboring the outer portion of the recess with the diameter of cylindrical outer chamber 24 being substantially equal to the maximum diameter of a selective thumb. An elevational view of 5 an aperture thus formed, wherein the various cylindrical surfaces of the inner chamber and the outer chamber may be concentric, is shown in FIG. 2 along with two conventional finger holes 15.

It should be evident to one skilled in the art that the aperture especially adapted for the thumb of a selective bowler can also be formed in a block of material or in an insert generally indicated by the numeral 38 (FIG. 4) and the insert then placed in a correspondingly shaped cavity generally indicated by the numeral 40 provided in the bowling ball. The insert is secured to the ball in any conventional manner such as by the use of epoxy glue.

An alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6 wherein the bowling ball and the aperture are generally indicated by the numeral 1 10 and 1 12 respectively. The aperture has a depth 1 13 which corresponds substantially to and accommodates the length or the portion of a bowlers thumb which is generally received by a bowling ball. The aperture also has an inner and an outer chamber generally indicated by the numerals 114 and 124, respectively. The inner chamber has a generally curvilinear shaped surface which is shown in FIG. 6 as being in the form of a frustrum and which may include a conically shaped surface. Generally, the depth and shape of inner chamber 114 is designed such that it accommodates the end portion of a thumb. As in the preferred embodiment, the outer chamber is generally cylindrical, communicates with first chamber 114 and terminates at the surface of bowling ball 110. The diameter of the outer chamber also substantially corresponds to the maximum diameter of a bowlers thumb in that the chamber may be slightly larger than the exact diameter of the selective thumb.

Referring to FIG. 5; the aperture is formed by boring a recess 150 such as a pilot hole and then forming outer chamber 124 as by counterboring. The inner chamber is then formed as by using a tapered reamer. Of course, it should be evident that the aperture shown in FIG. 6 can also be made in an insert generally indicated by the numeral 138 and then placed and secured in a correspondingly shaped cavity generally indicated by the numeral 140 provided in bowling ball 110.

Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of a preferred and an alternative form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. A bowling ball having at least one finger hole and an aperture which is especially adapted for. the thumb of a selective bowler with said aperture having a depth corresponding to the length of a bowlers thumb and including an inwardly tapered first chamber at its inner portion and a cylindrical second chamber communicating with said first chamber and terminating at the surface of the bowling ball, the diameter of said second chamber substantially corresponding to the maximum diameter of the thumb of a selective bowler and the length of said first chamber being such as to accommodate the length of the end portion of a bowlers thumb.

2. A bowling ball having at least one finger hole and an aperture, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first chamber is a series of communicating, cylindrical shaped surfaces with progressively smaller diameters toward the center of said ball, which surfaces substantially correspond to the diametric profile of the thumb of a selective bowler.

3. A bowling ball as claimed in claim 2, wherein the intersection of said series of communicating, cylindrical shaped surfaces are rounded off to provide a smooth juncture.

4. A bowling ball as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first chamber is shaped as a frustrum of a cone. 

1. A bowling ball having at least one finger hole and an aperture which is especially adapted for the thumb of a selective bowler with said aperture having a depth corresponding to the length of a bowler''s thumb and including an inwardly tapered first chamber at its inner portion and a cylindrical second chamber communicating with said first chamber and terminating at the surface of the bowling ball, the diameter of said second chamber substantially corresponding to the maximum diameter of the thumb of a selective bowler and the length of said first chamber being such as to accommodate the length of the end portion of a bowler''s thumb.
 2. A bowling ball having at least one finger hole and an aperture, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first chamber is a series of communicating, cylindrical shaped surfaces with progressively smaller diameters toward the center of said ball, which surfaces substantially correspond to the diametric profile of the thumb of a selective bowler.
 3. A bowling ball as claimed in claim 2, wherein the intersection of said series of communicating, cylindrical shaped surfaces are rounded off to provide a smooth juncture.
 4. A bowling ball as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first chamber is shaped as a frustrum of a cone. 